From Cannes to Vinyl: Johan Lenox’s Immersive Score for The Plague

Waxwork Records has announced the release of the original motion picture soundtrack for The Plague, the critically acclaimed psychological thriller directed by Charlie Polinger, featuring an original score composed and performed by Johan Lenox. The soundtrack arrives ahead of the film’s release and continues Waxwork’s reputation for thoughtfully curated, high-quality physical editions.

Premiering at the Cannes Film Festival to an extraordinary 11-minute standing ovation, The Plague has quickly drawn critical attention for its unsettling exploration of adolescence, ritual, and cruelty. Set at an all-boys water polo camp, the film follows a socially anxious twelve-year-old who becomes entangled in a brutal tradition targeting an outcast, as the line between ritualized behavior and lived reality begins to fracture.

Lenox’s score mirrors the film’s primal intensity through an organic and visceral sound palette. Built from layered vocals, solo strings, and percussive textures, the music amplifies the psychological unease at the core of the story. Two tracks from the score, “DRILL” and “MEMORIES,” are available now, with the full soundtrack releasing on December 24 across vinyl, CD, cassette, and digital formats.

True to Waxwork Records’ commitment to elevated physical releases, The Plague soundtrack is pressed on Pool Water Blue colored vinyl and housed in heavyweight jackets with a matte satin coating. The release also includes printed inner sleeves and exclusive liner notes written by Lenox specifically for this edition, offering listeners deeper insight into the creative process behind the score.

“The Plague is exactly the kind of project we look for at Waxwork,” said Kevin Bergeron, Co-Founder of Waxwork Records. “The score is bold and emotionally immersive, and we wanted to create a physical release that matched the intensity and craftsmanship of the music itself.” Sue Ellen Soto, Co-Founder of Waxwork Records, added, “We’re always drawn to scores that take creative risks and push beyond traditional film music expectations. Johan’s work on The Plague immediately stood out to us, and we’re proud to present it in a format that gives listeners a deeper, more tactile way to experience the music.”

In his liner notes, Lenox reflects on his immediate connection to the project:

“After years of dodging questions about when I would compose my first film score, I finally found the perfect project in Charlie Polinger’s The Plague. I was immediately struck by the story’s primal, Lord of the Flies–like quality.”

A classically trained composer whose career bridges contemporary classical music, film, musical theater, and pop production, Lenox brings a uniquely interdisciplinary voice to the score. Much of The Plague is composed almost entirely of his own heavily layered vocals, drawing from his background in a cappella performance and choral writing. This stark sonic world is contrasted by Corsa Notturna, a sweeping, 1960s-inspired vocal and orchestral piece that appears in the film’s first act and over its end credits.

The The Plague soundtrack is available now at www.waxworkrecords.com on vinyl, CD, cassette, and digital platforms, offering fans a powerful new way to experience the film’s haunting emotional landscape through music.